A suspected plague outbreak has broken out in Russia, killing a young laboratory worker, forcing nearly 200 people into isolation and sparking accusations that Vladimir Putin’s regime is trying to keep the possible spread of the infection secret.
The alarm was raised in Siberia after an employee at a plague laboratory died from the disease, which killed tens of millions during the medieval Black Death, according to a report in the Moscow Times.
Anna Popova, who heads Russia’s public health watchdog, then rushed 2,600 miles from Moscow to the Irkutsk region as authorities quarantined a hospital and placed many people who had been in contact with the victim under medical observation.
Far East, was the first to die from the disease after apparently dropping a test tube in the laboratory. Daria Shipilova/e2w
“The situation in Shelekhov, in the Irkutsk region, where a quarantine against the plague has been declared, resembles that in Wuhan,” warned the Russian political channel Nezygar.
COVID-19 emerged in Wuhan, China, before spreading around the world and killing more than 7 million people, according to global health estimates.
However, so far, authorities say none of the identified contacts have shown symptoms and their test results have come back negative.
Daria Shipilova, a 28-year-old laboratory assistant at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute, was the first reported victim.
She reportedly told medical staff that she had accidentally broken a test tube containing live bacteria while taking samples for testing, according to the newspaper Lyudi Baikala, or People of Baikal.
She first fell ill during an expedition with other workers near Russia’s eastern border with Mongolia.
She was hospitalized on Tuesday in Chelekhov with symptoms of severe pneumonia, placed on a ventilator and died on Thursday, according to reports.
Meanwhile, regional governor Igor Kobzev refused to identify the disease, calling it only a “dangerous infectious disease” – and canceled all public events in the region.
Kobzev urged the public to remain calm after meeting with Popova to coordinate emergency containment measures.
“All identified contacts have been placed under medical observation. At present, the contacts do not show any signs of illness and their laboratory test results are negative,” Kobzev wrote on the Telegram messaging app on Friday.
Reports also claimed that antibiotics were running out in the Irkutsk region, prompting frightened residents to seek medical help at pharmacies and other medical facilities.
Popova has not commented publicly on the reported outbreak. But Russian epidemiologist Mikhal Favorov disputed the claim that a broken test tube caused the infection, calling it evidence of a possible cover-up, according to the Moscow Times.
“It’s laughable,” Favorov said. “Someone who works at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute wears a protective anti-plague suit. If you break a test tube, the risk of infection is actually very low. In short, it doesn’t matter to the general public, they will believe the ‘dropped test tube’ story.”
Favorov said Popova’s involvement suggested the situation was serious.
“It’s absolutely frightening,” he said, adding: “We won’t know what really happened.”
The plague is caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis.
The three main forms are bubonic, pneumonic and septicemic plague. Symptoms may include fever, headache, chills, weakness, shortness of breath and cough. All forms can be treated with antibiotics, especially when treatment is started early.
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